The Daily Lectionary for TUESDAY, May 21, 2019

St Peter's Church in Antioc

The Daily Lectionary

TUESDAY, May 21, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 133

The Blessedness of Unity
A Song of Ascents.
1  How very good and pleasant it is
     when kindred live together in unity!
2  It is like the precious oil on the head,
     running down upon the beard,
   on the beard of Aaron,
     running down over the collar of his robes.
3  It is like the dew of Hermon,
     which falls on the mountains of Zion.
   For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
     life forevermore.

2 Samuel 1:4-27

1:4 David said to him, “How did things go? Tell me!” He answered, “The army fled from the battle, but also many of the army fell and died; and Saul and his son Jonathan also died.” 5 Then David asked the young man who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan died?” 6 The young man reporting to him said, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa; and there was Saul leaning on his spear, while the chariots and the horsemen drew close to him. 7 When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, ‘Here sir.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 He said to me, ‘Come, stand over me and kill me; for convulsions have seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood over him, and killed him, for I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did the same. 12 They mourned and wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 David said to the young man who had reported to him, “Where do you come from?” He answered, “I am the son of a resident alien, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “Were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Come here and strike him down.” So he struck him down and he died. 16 David said to him, “Your blood be on your head; for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’”

17 David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan. 18 (He ordered that The Song of the Bow be taught to the people of Judah; it is written in the Book of Jashar.) He said:

19 Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places!
     How the mighty have fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath,
     proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
   or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
     the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.

21 You mountains of Gilboa,
     let there be no dew or rain upon you,
     nor bounteous fields!
   For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
     the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more.

22 From the blood of the slain,
     from the fat of the mighty,
   the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
     nor the sword of Saul return empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
     In life and in death they were not divided;
   they were swifter than eagles,
     they were stronger than lions.

24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
     who clothed you with crimson, in luxury,
     who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 How the mighty have fallen
     in the midst of the battle!

   Jonathan lies slain upon your high places.
26   I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
   greatly beloved were you to me;
     your love to me was wonderful,
     passing the love of women.

27 How the mighty have fallen,
    and the weapons of war perished!

Acts 11:27-30

The Church in Antioch (Cont.)
11:27 At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place during the reign of Claudius. 29 The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers living in Judea; 30 this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

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
The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers living in Judea

Verse of the Day TUESDAY, May 21, 2019

1 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV) I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 1

Listen to 1 Corinthians 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 - Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Otra oportunidad

Cuando estén orando, si tienen algo contra alguien, perdónenlo, para que también su Padre que está en el cielo les perdone a ustedes sus pecados.

~ Marcos 11:25 (NVI)

Si Dios es un Dios de oportunidades, ¿por qué a nosotros a veces nos cuesta tanto darnos otra oportunidad y dársela a alguien que nos ha fallado?

Si lo vemos en el campo de las relaciones sentimentales, en el matrimonio, siempre vamos a tener dificultades. Sin embargo, ¿quién dijo que iba hacer fácil vivir con otra persona que tiene otras costumbres y otra manera de hacer las cosas?

Sé que muchas veces esos problemas en las relaciones se van agravando hasta llegar a la línea peligrosa de la falta de respeto. Entonces, como es natural, lo primero que aparece por allí en nuestra mente es el pensamiento de la separación o, lo que es peor, el divorcio.

En el ámbito de las relaciones de amigos, aparecen los errores que comenten otras personas con nosotros en el trabajo o muchas situaciones que se presentan en la vida.

Por lo tanto, debemos considerar siempre la posibilidad de brindar una oportunidad. Nada en la vida es perfecto y mucho menos en el ser humano. Recuerda que el único perfecto es DIOS.

Conozco de muchas personas que, aunque han reconocido que tienen problemas, han tomado la decisión de dejar atrás todo orgullo, perdonar y darse una nueva oportunidad.

Cuando amas y cuando ves que esa persona a la que quieres dejar hoy tiene cualidades y virtudes, puedes ampliar tu mirada y no enfocarte solo en la parte negativa. De ese modo, puedes colocar en una balanza tu relación y darte una oportunidad.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Si Dios es un Dios de oportunidades, ¿por qué a nosotros a veces nos cuesta tanto darnos otra oportunidad y dársela a alguien que nos ha fallado?

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Tuesday, May 21, 2019

TAKING AWAY THE CROSS

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

~ Matthew 16:23 (NIV)

A western co-worker was visiting the Chinese city of Dandong which borders North Korea. He shares his challenging experience at a local house church meeting:

It was the first time I had ever been called “Satan!” But no one could fault the careful exegesis as this fiery Korean preacher bellowed to the 200-member house church.

“The third temptation of Jesus,” he declared, “was when the devil offered him the kingdom without the cross. The devil was basically saying, ‘Don’t go off and make all those sacrifices, touch all those lepers, spend nights in agony praying, and end up being tortured by soldiers and dying a horrible death. Just take it all now…from my hand!’” He went on, “The church often has the same temptation. The devil offers us power without suffering. And…I’ve got to say this even though our western friend is here…this is a temptation one part of the church tempts another part of the church with. We have to call that part of the church ‘Satan,’ just as Jesus had to call Peter ‘Satan’ when he made the same suggestion later in his ministry.”

Good rip-roaring stuff, and thoroughly biblical. But I was intrigued as to why this pastor had singled out the western church as the tempter. He was happy to explain over a meal.

“I hosted five pastors from North America last year. All Koreans. They came with reading material. Good stuff as far as it went, and they were supplying a sort of formula for church growth. But could one of them even bring himself to mention suffering? No! And when I heard those Korean pastors preach, it was also absent.”

He leaned forward and whispered, “When these pastors preach to the persecuted church, and mention everything but suffering, they are taking away the cross from the Christian life. That’s why I have to say that they are bringing a satanic suggestion. Anyone who says you can follow Christ but not carry your cross is no better than the old deceiver himself. Jesus said so. He said it to Satan, and he said it to Peter. And I’m going to say it to anyone else who dares to think they can be a witness for Christ from anywhere else but on a cross.”

RESPONSE: Today I will focus on the things of God realizing they will always require me to carry my cross.

PRAYER: Lord, I will no longer try and eliminate the way of the cross from my Christian living. May I never again attempt to substitute power for suffering.

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 - Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Terminal Friendship

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

Ruth said to Naomi, ‘Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!’

~ Ruth 1:16-17 (NLT)

Friend to Friend

My husband is a huge Star Trek fan.  Not of the TV series.  But a big fan of the Star Trek movies.  He likes the action.  He likes the drama.  And he really likes the relationships.

There is a scene in one of the Star Trek movies where Spock is dying.  His last words to his captain and friend, James T. Kirk, are these: “You have been, and always shall be, my friend.”

The same kind of exchange happens between Ruth and Naomi in the opening chapter of the book of Ruth.  Ruth declares his loyalty to her friend in clear statements:

• Where you go, I will go.
• Where you live, I will live.
• Your people will be my people.
• Your God will me my God.
• Where you die, I will die.
• Nothing but death will ever separate us.

I call this a terminal friendship.  Terminal in the sense of “I am you friend all the way to death.”

A terminal disease is one that you cannot get rid of.  It is a disease or condition that you will have until you die.  I have had back problems for 35 years.  It is terminal.  There is no fix for what is wrong with my back.  My husband, Dan, has a cardiac condition that is the result of a birth defect.  He has been through 48 heart procedures.  He will die with a cardiac condition.  Short of God healing one or both of us – which He can certainly do – our diseases are terminal.  They will be with us until we die.

I think we have to learn and practice terminal friendships.  Friendships that say “you are stuck with me.  I am your terminal friend.  I will be with you until one of us dies.”

What does that kind of friendship look like?  I believe it there are three essential elements.

First – we have to be available.  Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend.”  That does not just mean that I am willing to die for my friend.  There is a much deeper meaning here.  It means that I am available to live for my friend.  It means I am available to do life with my friend.

That means I am available to wade into their mess.  That means I am available to do the hard work of friendship.  That means that I am wanting and willing to help them always turn to and pursue Jesus.

Second – we have to be authentic.  Scripture commands us to “carry one another’s burdens.”  You cannot help someone carry their burden unless they are willing share what their burden is in the first place.  And your friend cannot help you carry your burden unless you authentically let them know what is going on with you.

It has been said “You can tell who your real friends are by which direction they run when you are in trouble.”  That is so true!

Third – we have to be accountable.  We have to learn to ask each other the hard questions.  How are you doing in your marriage?  How is it going with your kids?  Where are you winning?  Where are you struggling?  What is Jesus teaching you right now?  What are you doing about it?

The scripture tells us that “as iron sharpens iron, so one friend sharpens another.”  I don’t need more easy friends that never ask me the tough questions.  I need someone that will practice mutual accountability with me.

You may be asking “Where do I find there terminal friends?” Or “Where do I find a friend that is available, authentic and accountable?” You find that kind of friend by deciding that you will be that kind of friend Everyone you will ever meet is looking for love and acceptance.

When you offer love and acceptance to your friends, regardless of what mess they are in, then you discover the joys of real friendship.

Let’s Pray

Father, I want to thank You for being the ultimate Friend. You have never let me down or turned away from me – even when I have turned away from You. Please help me be the kind of friend You want me to be so that Your love can flow through me in my relationships.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

• What is the greatest hindrance to friendship in your life?
• What has been the greatest reward of friendship in your life?
• Are you willing to take the risk of cultivating intimate friendships and of being a true friend? Explain.
• Make a list of your closest friends and then picture life without them. What would that picture look like?
• Make a specific plan this week to invest time in the life of a friend.

More from the Girlfriends

Anger is often the catalyst in a broken friendship. We all deal with anger – but do we deal with it God’s way or our own way? Get Mary’s book, You Make Me So Angry for practical steps you can take to control anger – instead of allowing anger control you. And be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

My husband is a huge Star Trek fan.  Not of the TV series.  But a big fan of the Star Trek movies.

LHM Daily Devotions - Why Does God Say No?

"Why Does God Say No?"

May 21, 2019

And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the Word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the Gospel to them. This is an odd passage. Why on earth would God forbid Paul and his companions to preach the Gospel anywhere, let alone the Roman province of Asia? And it happened again in Bithynia: "The Spirit of Jesus did not allow them." Finally, Paul had a vision in which God told them where to go: "Immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the Gospel to them."

~ Acts 16:6-10 (ESV)

The forbidding didn't last that long. By chapter 18 of Acts, Paul is teaching in Ephesus, a city of Asia, and soon a thriving church was growing there. But it sounds weird that God would forbid the Gospel to be preached anywhere. Why?

We don't know. We can guess, of course; maybe God knew that the people weren't ready yet, or maybe there was a severe threat of persecution, and God didn't intend Paul and the other missionaries to go through that experience, at least not right then. Or maybe God simply wanted to get the group to Macedonia faster. We can guess, but we don't know.

And it's like that for us today in our lives, too. God does some strange things at times. We may watch a loved one who was baptized into the faith, who was confirmed and seemed to be a strong Christian-but for years now they've gone off on their own path, far away from Jesus. We pray for them and hope for them to return, but they seem farther away than ever. And when we talk to them, we seem to be doing no good. In fact, we worry we may be doing them harm. How could God allow this to happen? Surely God wants that person to return!

We are right in thinking God wants that person back in the faith. And Paul was right in thinking that God wanted the Gospel preached everywhere, including Asia and Bithynia. But the details of how God reaches out to people-the mysteries of how God deals with groups of people and with individuals-these are things God has not told us. And it's hard to deal with.

So what can we do? The same thing Paul and Silas and Timothy did-we can keep trying, all the while trusting God to show the way. Because He will. God brought the missionaries safely to Macedonia, where they met a small group of women praying beside a river outside Philippi. One of them was Lydia, the first documented Christian convert in Europe. She and many others in her city came to know Jesus our Savior, who laid down His life to rescue them and us from the power of evil. This was God's plan for them from the beginning.

We know that Jesus loves the people we care about, even more than we do. He died for them, after all. And we know that He will do everything possible for them to be His. He rose from the dead so that could happen. In the meantime, we can pray, hope, and hold ourselves ready to serve-however Jesus calls us.

THE PRAYER: Lord, please reach the people I love who are far from You, and bring them to Yourself. 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).
God does some strange things at times.

Devocional de la CPTLN del 21 de Mayo de 2019 - ¿Por qué?

ALIMENTO DIARIO

¿Por qué?

21 de Mayo de 2019

Como el Espíritu Santo no les permitió proclamar la palabra en Asia, ellos se limitaron a atravesar Frigia y la provincia de Galacia. Cuando llegaron a Misia, intentaron ir a Bitinia, pero el Espíritu tampoco se lo permitió. Entonces dejaron de lado a Misia y llegaron a Troas. Allí, una noche Pablo tuvo una visión, en la que veía ante él a un varón macedonio, que suplicante le decía: «Pasa a Macedonia, y ayúdanos.» Después de que Pablo tuvo la visión, enseguida nos dispusimos a partir hacia Macedonia, pues estábamos seguros de que Dios nos estaba llamando a anunciarles el evangelio.

~ Hechos 16:6-10 (RVC)

Este es un pasaje extraño. ¿Por qué razón Dios le prohibiría a Pablo y sus compañeros predicar el Evangelio en un lugar, y especialmente en la provincia romana de Asia? "Cuando llegaron a Misia, intentaron ir a Bitinia, pero el Espíritu tampoco se lo permitió". Finalmente, Pablo tuvo una visión en la que Dios les dijo a dónde ir: "enseguida nos dispusimos a partir hacia Macedonia, pues estábamos seguros de que Dios nos estaba llamando a anunciarles el evangelio".

La prohibición no duró mucho. En el capítulo 18 de Hechos, Pablo está enseñando en Éfeso, una ciudad de Asia, y pronto creció allí una iglesia próspera. Pero suena raro que Dios prohíba que el Evangelio sea predicado en algún lugar. ¿Por qué será? No lo sabemos. Podemos adivinar, por supuesto. Tal vez Dios sabía que las personas todavía no estaban prontas, o tal vez había una amenaza severa de persecución y Dios no tenía la intención de que Pablo y los otros misioneros pasaran por esa experiencia en ese momento. O tal vez Dios simplemente quería llevar al grupo a Macedonia más rápido. Podemos adivinar, pero no lo sabemos.

Lo mismo sucede con nosotros hoy en nuestras vidas: a veces Dios permite cosas extrañas. Quizás seres queridos que parecían ser un cristianos fuertes, pero que se han alejado de Jesús e ido por su propio camino. Oramos por ellos y esperamos que regresen, pero parecen estar más lejos que nunca. Y cuando hablamos con ellos, parece que no estamos haciendo ningún bien. De hecho, nos preocupa que podamos estar haciendo daño. ¿Cómo podría Dios permitir que esto suceda? ¡Seguramente Dios quiere que regresen a él!

Tenemos razón al pensar que Dios quiere que regresen a la fe. Y Pablo tenía razón al pensar que Dios quería que el Evangelio se predicara en todas partes, incluyendo Asia y Bitinia. Pero los detalles de cómo Dios se acerca a las personas, el misterio de cómo Dios trata con grupos de personas e individuos, son cosas que Dios no nos ha dicho. Y esto es algo que nos cuesta comprender.

Entonces, ¿qué podemos hacer? Lo mismo que hicieron Pablo, Silas y Timoteo: podemos seguir intentándolo, mientras confiamos en que Dios muestre el camino. Porque Él lo hará. Dios llevó a los misioneros a salvo a Macedonia, donde se encontraron con un pequeño grupo de mujeres que rezaban junto a un río a las afueras de Filipos. Una de ellas fue Lydia, la primera cristiana convertida en Europa.

Sabemos que Jesús ama a las personas que nos importan, incluso más que nosotros, y sabemos que hará todo lo posible para que sean suyos. Mientras tanto, podemos orar, esperar y mantenernos listos para servir de la manera en que Jesús nos llame.

ORACIÓN: Señor, acerca a ti a mis seres queridos. 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 veces Dios permite cosas extrañas.

Nuestro Pan Diario - Maravillosamente únicos

Maravillosamente únicos

Leer: Salmo 139:1-14 | La Biblia en un año: 1 Crónicas 13–15 Juan 7:1-27

Descargar MP3

Te alabaré; porque formidables, maravillosas son tus obras… (v. 14).

Los seres humanos no son especiales; al menos, según el Zoológico de Londres. En 2005, se presentó allí una exposición de cuatro días: «Los humanos en su ambiente natural». Los humanos «en cautividad» se escogieron mediante una encuesta en línea. Para que las visitas entendieran sobre los humanos, se hicieron carteles detallando la dieta, el hábitat y las amenazas para la especie. El propósito era minimizar la singularidad de los seres humanos.

¡Qué agudo contraste con lo que dice la Biblia: Dios nos hizo formidables y maravillosos a «su imagen» (Salmo 139:14; Génesis 1:26-27)!

David comenzó el Salmo 139 celebrando que Dios lo conocía íntimamente (vv. 1-6) y que Él estaba presente en todas partes (vv. 7-12). Como un experto tejedor, Dios no solo formó la complejidad de las características internas y externas de David (vv. 13-14), sino que también lo hizo un ser viviente, al darle vida y la capacidad de relacionarse con Dios. Cuando meditaba en la obra de las manos de Dios, la reacción de David era asombro, éxtasis y alabanza (v. 14).

Los seres humanos son especiales. Dios nos creó maravillosamente únicos y para que nos relacionemos con Él. Como David, podemos alabar al Señor porque somos la obra maestra de sus manos.

¿Cómo te ayuda saber y creer que Dios te hizo de manera formidable y maravillosa?

Dios creó a los seres humanos para que sean como Él.

Por Marvin Williams

© 2019 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
Los seres humanos no son especiales; al menos, según el Zoológico de Londres. ¡Qué agudo contraste con lo que dice la Biblia!