The Daily Lectionary for WEDNESDAY, May 8, 2019

 

The Daily Lectionary

WEDNESDAY, May 8, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 121

Assurance of God’s Protection

A Song of Ascents.

1  I lift up my eyes to the hills—

     from where will my help come?

2  My help comes from the Lord,

     who made heaven and earth.

3  He will not let your foot be moved;

     he who keeps you will not slumber.

4  He who keeps Israel

     will neither slumber nor sleep.

5  The Lord is your keeper;

     the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

6  The sun shall not strike you by day,

     nor the moon by night.

7  The Lord will keep you from all evil;

     he will keep your life.

8  The Lord will keep

     your going out and your coming in

     from this time on and forevermore.

Isaiah 6:1-8

A Vision of God in the Temple

6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another and said:

   “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

   the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4 The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”

Luke 5:1-11

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

5:1 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

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

When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Verse of the Day for WEDNESDAY, May 8, 2019

Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV) Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Read all of Colossians 4

Listen to Colossians 4

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 - Wednesday, May 8, 2019

El favor de Dios es un regalo

En verdad, quien me encuentra, halla la vida y recibe el favor del Señor.

~ Proverbios 8:35 (NVI)

Dios quiere que te vaya bien. Estos días estamos hablando acerca de los regalos que vienen incluidos cuando tenemos a Jesús.

El favor de Dios es uno de ellos. Dios nos ayuda, nos prospera y nos da lo que tú y yo necesitamos. Muchas personas piensan que contar con el favor de Dios es tener dinero, pero sabemos de otras tantas personas que conociendo a Jesús aman el dinero y hacen lo que tengan que hacer con tal de depender del dinero. Lo que es más triste, otros incluso son ricos, pero viven en una absoluta pobreza emocional. Están solos, o se sienten solos, aunque tengan muchas personas a su alrededor. Perciben que nadie ni nada los llena.

Dios solo quiere que tú y yo establezcamos un equilibrio perfecto a fin de poder disfrutar de sus bendiciones y de su favor.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Dios quiere que te vaya bien. Estos días estamos hablando acerca de los regalos que vienen incluidos cuando tenemos a Jesús.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Wednesday, May 8, 2019

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE

Make every effort to live in peace with all men…

~ Hebrews 12:14a (NIV)

Other religious groups are one of the most threatening tactics Satan uses against the church of Jesus Christ. In the book of Acts we see over and over that the primary opposition to the spread of the gospel in the early church was from religious groups. Again we must never view these groups as the enemy. We know who our real enemy is. In some parts of the world, the small percentage of extremists among Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims have encouraged mob violence and other forms of persecution against Christians. Our attitude toward them should be as Brother Andrew’s acronym for ISLAM suggests: I Sincerely Love All Muslims.

The tactic that our enemy uses in these major religions of the world is the same. It comes from his character of deceiving and lying. Some people are able to perceive elements of truth within the major religions of the world, but their essential teachings are deceivingly false.

Wherever possible, missionaries of cults and other religions do whatever possible to encourage Christians—usually those who are Christian in name only—to convert to their religion. Unfortunately, in countries such as Egypt, a significant number do convert to a cult or to some other religion. The lure to convert can be marriage, money, employment, social acceptance, and any other similar attraction.

Hardini was born to a devout Muslim family in Indonesia where everyone must go to the mosque every day to pray. Her father had strict rules for everyone in the family. One rule was that Hardini should never associate with Christians. Despite Hardini’s devotion to Islam, her heart was heavy and she longed for inner peace. A Christian with a great sense of joy and peace befriended Hardini.

Hardini had the courage to tell her new friend about her spiritual hunger, and the friend offered to pray for her in the name of Jesus. After the Christian girl prayed, peace filled Hardini’s heart and her life radically changed.

When Hardini’s family discovered she had become a Christian, they spent hours and hours trying to entice her with force to recant her new faith. Hardini remained steadfast. Finally her parents made a painful decision—they totally disowned their daughter. That left Hardini with the choices of either recanting her faith or fleeing from her home and family. She chose to flee.

RESPONSE: Today I will pray for believers like Hardini who experience religious intolerance.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to sincerely love all Muslims and people of other faith systems.

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 - Wednesday, May 8, 2019

How To Avoid Crashing in Turbulent Emotions

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you,

~ James 1:5 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

On July 16, 1999, John F Kennedy Jr., his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and his sister-in-law, Lauren Bessette, met their death in a watery grave in the Atlantic Ocean. John was piloting the single-engine aircraft and was only a few miles from their destination when something went terribly wrong.

The plane left New Jersey en route to a family gathering in Massachusetts in the dark of night, and while crossing a thirty-mile stretch of water to make its final descent, the plane began a series of erratic maneuvers. John’s descent varied between 400 and 800 feet per minute, about seven miles from shore. The plane began an erratic series of turns, descents, and climbs. Its final descent eventually exceeded 4700 fpm, and the airplane took a nose-dive into the ocean. Other pilots flying similar routes on the night of the accident reported no visual horizon while flying over the water because of haze. They couldn’t see a thing. The watery grave swallowed the plane and the three passengers on board.

One pilot explained that John most likely experienced the “Black Hole” syndrome. Pilots of small-engine planes use the horizon as a reference point. However, John lost sight of the horizon and his eyes gave the brain no clue as to which way was up and which way was down. In this situation, if an airplane should turn slightly or nose down slightly, the body’s inner ear compensates to make the pilot believe he’s flying straight and level. If for some reason the pilot makes another correction, he can make a bad decision worse. (Stay with me here. You’ll see how this applies to me and you.)
John was not flying under Instrument Flight Rules, but rather Visual Flight Rules. That means he was not trained to use the instrument panel properly, but simply learned how to fly by sight alone. When he could not see the horizon, John became disoriented and his mind lost its sense of perspective and direction. He had what we commonly call vertigo, and the flight pattern showed all the evidence of “mind wobbling and tortured confusion.”

John’s instruments told him that his wings were tilted (flying sideways), but he felt that he was right-side up. While John had all the instruments on board for a safe landing, he did not know how to use them.

One pilot explained John’s vertigo and disorientation this way: “And here is the crux of the matter; the pilot’s emotions drowned out the flight instruments’ story about banking and diving at high speed, and screamed out, ‘No way! It can’t be. I’m actually flying straight and level. I know it!’”

A skilled instrument flyer knows he can’t rely on his feelings and has the ability to regain control of the airplane by depending on the instrument. Instructors call this lifesaving skill “recovery from unusual attitudes.” “The real skill of instrument flying is truly depending on the instruments’ readings rather than your feelings. Recovery from ‘unusual attitudes’ consists of one essential belief: Your feelings cannot be trusted as the final authority on what the airplane is doing. Your mind is boss. The instruments are your window on reality and you desperately need to understand the data they provide.”

Friend, I hope you are tracking with me. This isn’t just about flying an airplane; this is about maneuvering through life. John had everything he needed to make a safe landing right there on the instrument panel in front of him. But he didn’t know how to use them. John chose to rely on his feelings rather than the facts. His feelings lied, and he and his passengers died.

We have the opportunity to learn how to fly through the storms of life with limited visibility. The Bible tells us, If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you, (James 1:5 NIV). We can maneuver safely through unexpected turbulence and relational malfunctions. God has given us the tools to avoid becoming disoriented and going into a tailspin or nosedive. His Word is the Truth that guides us through the inky soup when the horizon is nowhere in sight. His Word is the instrument panel. However, if we rely on our feelings we won’t know which way is up and which way is down.

So today, let’s decide to avoid flying through the day led by our emotions, but by the instrument panel...the Word of God. The fact that you’re reading this devotion let’s me know you are well on your way!

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, so many times I make decisions based on my emotions. Help me to stop and take a deep breath, say a quick prayer, and use my mind before making decisions. Give me wisdom. Bring truth to my remembrance. Control my tongue. I know that’s a lot to ask, but I also know that You are a big God!
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read 1 Samuel 25.

How was David being led by his emotions?

How was Abigail being led by her head?

How did Abigail encourage David to not fly through the day being led by his emotions, but pay attention to the instrument panel and God’s wisdom?

Hurray for Abigail, the heroine of the story!

If you would like to be an Abigail (minus being married to evil Nabal), leave a comment on our GiG Facebook page and say, “I want to be an Abigail!”

More From the Girlfriends

You’ve heard the lies before. Maybe even whispered one or two to yourself from time to time. Maybe repeated them so often you’ve started to believe them. “Nobody loves me. I’m worthless. I would be happier married to someone else. I’m just not good enough.” The list goes on. It’s time to recognize the enemy’s lies and to replace those lies with the Bible’s liberating truth. It’s time to renew your mind and think God’s thought rather than be held in bondage by the enemy’s deceptions. It’s time to be set free to see yourself as God see you: His holy, chosen, cleansed, forgiven and dearly loved child. Now that’s a truth worth repeating. To learn more, check out my book, Enough: Silencing the Lies that Steal Your Confidence. It’s a game changer!

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

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LHM Daily Devotions - What Do You See?

"What Do You See?"

May 8, 2019

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen." Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come? ... The Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

~ Revelation 7:9-13, 17 (ESV)

I was discussing this Bible passage with a friend and she said, "It sounds like a really boring long worship service to me." I looked back at the text and I could see what she meant. I didn't actually agree-it looks more to me like the "happily ever after" scene of God's great play, when all the actors reassemble on the stage to make their bows—but I can see why others might worry about it being boring.

I've heard this kind of thing before about other bits of Revelation. The bit that doesn't do anything for me is the description of the heavenly Jerusalem as built of gold and gems and pearls. My mind keeps imagining the glare that would come off such a construction. And the color mix! Too much for my eyes. But others have told me that it really speaks to them as a picture of the glory and beauty of God's kingdom.

And then, of course, there are all the really weird passages: the beasts with several heads and multiple horns, the living creatures with four faces. My son likes these, especially in the Lego illustrated version of the Bible. You, too, probably have bits of Revelation that really speak to you—and other bits that are just not your favorite, at least right now. The Holy Spirit uses God's Word—even the weird bits!—to bless each of us differently at different times.

But no matter how differently we react to Revelation, there is one thing we can all agree on: its focus on Jesus Christ, our Savior. Revelation promises us, "For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." This is what we need, every one of us, all of us who know Jesus as our Savior. We rely on the One who suffered for our sake, who lay down His life on the cross, who rose from the grave three days later. He is the One we look forward to seeing face to face; He is the One who is our Shepherd through life and death. We can safely trust in Him to bring us to Himself. That is the message of Revelation, and we can all rejoice in that together.

THE PRAYER: Dear Father, keep us close to Your Son Jesus as His own 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).
A really boring long worship service...

Devocional de la CPTLN del 08 de Mayo de 2019 - ¿Qué ves?

ALIMENTO DIARIO

¿Qué ves?

08 de Mayo de 2019

Después de esto vi aparecer una gran multitud compuesta de todas las naciones, tribus, pueblos y lenguas. Era imposible saber su número. Estaban de pie ante el trono, en presencia del Cordero, y vestían ropas blancas; en sus manos llevaban ramas de palma, y a grandes voces gritaban: "La salvación proviene de nuestro Dios, que está sentado en el trono, y del Cordero." Todos los ángeles estaban de pie, alrededor del trono y de los ancianos y de los cuatro seres vivientes, y delante del trono inclinaron el rostro y adoraron a Dios. Decían: "¡Amén! A nuestro Dios sean dadas la bendición y la gloria, la sabiduría y la acción de gracias, y la honra, el poder y la fortaleza, por los siglos de los siglos. ¡Amén!" Entonces uno de los ancianos me dijo: "Y estos que están vestidos de ropas blancas, ¿quiénes son? ¿De dónde vienen? ...el Cordero que está en medio del trono los pastoreará y los llevará a fuentes de agua de vida, y Dios mismo secará de sus ojos toda lágrima."

~ Apocalipsis 7:9-13, 17 (RVC)

Cuando estábamos analizando este pasaje de la Biblia con una amiga, ella dijo: "Me parece un servicio de adoración muy aburrido." Al mirar nuevamente el texto, entendí por qué dijo eso. Yo no estaba de acuerdo; a mí me parece más una escena de la gran obra de Dios, un: "Y vivieron felices para siempre", cuando todos los actores se reúnen en el escenario para hacer sus reverencias. Pero también puedo ver por qué a otros les puede parecer aburrido.

Ya he escuchado antes este tipo de cosas sobre otros fragmentos del Apocalipsis. Lo que a mí no me dice mucho es la descripción de la Jerusalén celestial, construida con oro, gemas, y perlas. Mi mente se imagina el resplandor que saldría de tal construcción. ¡Y la mezcla de colores! Demasiado para mis ojos. Pero otros me han dicho que realmente les habla como una imagen de la gloria y la belleza del reino de Dios.

Y luego, por supuesto, están todos los pasajes realmente extraños: las bestias con varias cabezas y múltiples cuernos, las criaturas vivientes con cuatro caras. A mi hijo le gustan estos, especialmente en la versión ilustrada de la Biblia. Es probable que tú también tengas partes del Apocalipsis que realmente te hablan, y otras que simplemente no son tus favoritas, al menos ahora. El Espíritu Santo usa la Palabra de Dios, ¡incluso los fragmentos extraños! para bendecir a cada uno de nosotros de manera diferente en momentos diferentes.

Pero no importa cómo reaccionemos ante el Apocalipsis, hay algo en lo que todos podemos estar de acuerdo: su enfoque en Jesucristo, nuestro Salvador. El Apocalipsis nos promete: "Porque el Cordero que está en medio del trono los pastoreará y los llevará a fuentes de agua de vida, y Dios mismo secará de sus ojos toda lágrima". Esto es lo que necesitamos, todos nosotros, todos los que conocemos a Jesús como nuestro Salvador. Confiamos en el que sufrió por nosotros, que entregó su vida en la cruz, y que se levantó de la tumba tres días después. Él es el a quien esperamos ver cara a cara; él es nuestro pastor en la vida y la muerte. Podemos confiar en que él nos traerá a sí mismo. Ese es el mensaje del Apocalipsis, y todos podemos regocijarnos en él.

ORACIÓN: Querido Padre, mantennos cerca de tu Hijo Jesús como su 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.
Un servicio de adoración muy aburrido.

Ministérios Pão Diário - O fardo da espera

O fardo da espera

Leia: Salmo 90
 | A Bíblia em um ano: 2 Reis 4–6; Lucas 24:36-53


Baixe a versão MP3

Ensina-nos a contar os nossos dias, para que alcancemos coração sábio. v.12


Nos últimos anos, dois membros da minha família enfrentaram diagnósticos que ameaçavam a vida. Para mim, a parte mais difícil de apoiá-los em seus tratamentos tem sido a constante incerteza. Estou sempre desesperada por uma palavra definitiva vinda do médico, mas raramente as coisas são tão simples. Em vez de recebermos explicações claras, muitas vezes somos convidados a esperar.

É difícil suportar o fardo da incerteza, sempre questionando o que o próximo teste vai revelar. Teremos semanas, meses, anos ou décadas antes que a morte nos separe? Mas, independentemente da doença e do diagnóstico, cada um de nós morrerá um dia — doenças como o câncer apenas trazem a nossa mortalidade à cena, em vez de deixá-la ocultar-se nos recessos de nossa mente.

Diante desses lembretes sombrios da nossa mortalidade, encontro-me orando as palavras que Moisés certa vez orou. O Salmo 90 nos diz que, embora nossa vida seja como a grama que seca e se desvanece (vv.5,6), temos um lar eterno com Deus (v.1). Assim como Moisés, podemos pedir a Deus que nos ensine a contar os nossos dias para que possamos tomar decisões sábias (v.12) e tornar nossa breve vida fecunda fazendo valer o que realizamos para Ele (v.17). Em última análise, o salmo nos lembra de que a nossa esperança não está no diagnóstico de um médico, mas em Deus que é “de eternidade a eternidade”.

Podemos enfrentar a realidade da nossa própria mortalidade 
porque confiamos em Deus.

por Amy Peterson

© 2019 Ministérios Pão Diário
Nos últimos anos, dois membros da minha família enfrentaram diagnósticos que ameaçavam a vida. Para mim, a parte mais difícil de apoiá-los em seus tratamentos tem sido a constante incerteza.