The Daily Lectionary for MONDAY, July 22, 2019

Colossians 1:27

The Daily Lectionary

MONDAY, July 22, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

Psalm 119:17-32

17 Deal bountifully with your servant,
     so that I may live and observe your word.
18 Open my eyes, so that I may behold
     wondrous things out of your law.
19 I live as an alien in the land;
     do not hide your commandments from me.
20 My soul is consumed with longing
     for your ordinances at all times.
21 You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,
     who wander from your commandments;
22 take away from me their scorn and contempt,
     for I have kept your decrees.
23 Even though princes sit plotting against me,
     your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24 Your decrees are my delight,
     they are my counselors.

25 My soul clings to the dust;
     revive me according to your word.
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me;
     teach me your statutes.
27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,
     and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow;
     strengthen me according to your word.
29 Put false ways far from me;
     and graciously teach me your law.
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
     I set your ordinances before me.
31 I cling to your decrees, O Lord;
     let me not be put to shame.
32 I run the way of your commandments,
     for you enlarge my understanding.

Amos 7:1-6

Locusts, Fire, and a Plumb Line
7:1 This is what the Lord God showed me: he was forming locusts at the time the latter growth began to sprout (it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings). 2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said,

   “O Lord God, forgive, I beg you!
     How can Jacob stand?
     He is so small!”
3  The Lord relented concerning this;
     “It shall not be,” said the Lord.

4 This is what the Lord God showed me: the Lord God was calling for a shower of fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land. 5 Then I said,

   “O Lord God, cease, I beg you!
     How can Jacob stand?
     He is so small!”
6  The Lord relented concerning this;
     “This also shall not be,” said the Lord God.

Colossians 1:27—2:7

1:27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil and struggle with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me.

2:1 For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face to face. 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your morale and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Fullness of Life in Christ
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

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
We are reconciled—brought into a right relationship—in all aspects of our lives through the life, death, resurrection of Jesus.

The Morning Prayer for MONDAY, July 22, 2019

Monday Morning Prayer

Lord,

Sometimes, Monday can be a hard day. Dreaded on Sunday and fled from on a Friday. Yet why Lord as Monday could be the beginning of a work adventure, the new challenge of a week filled with potential? So I pray you would help me to embrace this day.

Let it be a new day and a wonder day. Help me to see not the clouds but the sunrise, not the rain but the ripples of falling drops. Show me the joy of the embrace with loved ones, not the tensions and troubles. Monday need not be the grudge day to be endured but the fun day to be embraced.

This day, help me to turn my eyes towards your Kingdom, of love, hope and new beginnings. Amen.

Verse of the Day for MONDAY, July 22, 2019

Matthew 16:15-16 (NIV) “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Read all of Matthew 16

Listen to Matthew 16

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 - Monday, July 22, 2019

No dependas del hombre

Es mejor refugiarse en el Señor que confiar en el hombre.

~ Salmo 118:8 (NVI)

¿Te has dado cuenta de las muchas veces que en tu vida te has puesto en la posición de «depender» de alguien? Quizá en tu trabajo dependas de alguien. Es obvio que no me refiero a que no respetes a los que están en autoridad. Claro que hay que respetarlos. De lo que hablo es de que tu vida gire en torno a esa persona, que des por sentado que nunca te va a fallar y que confíes más en ella que en Dios, por ejemplo. ¿Sabes que pasa con eso? Lo que pasa es que cuando te falla esa persona que es tan humana como tú, la desilusión es grande y tu dependencia se va al piso.

Para que no sufras es mejor que no dependas de nadie. Así que aprende a depender de manera exclusiva de Dios. Quizá te preguntes: «¿Y cómo lo logro?».

Primero, pídele perdón a Dios en oración por no haberlo puesto a Él ante todo en tu vida. Segundo, pídele que te ayude a fin de que puedas ponerlo en práctica. Tercero, solo dale la oportunidad a Dios que te sorprenda. Él, que es amor, te demostrará con muchos detalles que se preocupa por tu bienestar. Por último, lee la Palabra. Allí encontrarás muchas promesas que, cuando las analices, serás capaz de ver que Él sí ha estado dispuesto a bendecirte.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
¿Te has dado cuenta de las muchas veces que en tu vida te has puesto en la posición de «depender» de alguien?

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Monday, July 22, 2019

THE VALUE OF SALT

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

~ Colossians 4:6 (NIV)

At the end of His Beatitudes, Jesus stated that His followers were to be salt and light in the world. Salt was highly valued in the ancient world for four special qualities:

1. Its purity - glistening white and coming from the sun and the sea, it was the most primitive of all offerings to the gods. If we are to be salt, we must be an example of purity. In the world, efforts to lower standards of honesty, diligence in work, conscientiousness and morality are going on all the time. The Christian must be the person who holds aloft the standard for purity of speech, conduct and thought. Words cannot be effective unless backed up by pure living.
   
   
2. It was inexpensive but precious - Christians may seem few, insignificant and of no consequence to society. In 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Paul addressed the early church with the concept that though few in numbers, lowly and unimportant, Christians are called to exercise godly influence over the whole of society.
   
   
3. As a preservative to keep meat from going bad - salt rubbed into meat slowed the rotting process. Christians whose lives exhibit “blessedness” will have a preserving impact upon a society that, if left to itself, will rot and deteriorate. In Judges 9:45, Abimelech, after defeating the city of Shechem destroyed it and scattered salt all over it. Spiritually, this is what the Christian does when he takes his stand for God in society. He makes that society, be it his friends in school, his fellow students at college, his co-workers, or those with whom he plays sports, less fertile soil for other ungodly influences. We too can have a preserving witness, by being involved with this world gone wrong, if we will pay the price.
   
   
4. To season food - salt brings out the distinctive flavor of food. The increase of God’s people should increase the flavor of life in many different ways. By His very presence, Jesus raised the spirits of people. There was a quality about His life that could not be explained in natural terms. As our verse for today says, our speech especially should be seasoned with salt. In this context Paul also talks about not grieving the Holy Spirit. Since speech is linked to a person’s spiritual state and has tremendous potential for building up or tearing down (James 3:3-12), the constant reminder is to watch not only what is allowed to come forth but how it comes.

By our presence, participation and penetration of society, in our daily contacts in our neighborhood and community, we are to bring the flavor of Christ to an unbelieving world.

RESPONSE: Today I will check my conversation and be sure I season it with the salt of purity.

PRAYER: Lord, forgive me when I grieve Your Holy Spirit by what I do and what I say and how I say it.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
Spiritually, this is what the Christian does when he takes his stand for God in society...

Women of the Bible - Monday, July 22, 2019

Athaliah and Jehosheba

ATHALIAH

Her name means: "The Lord Is Great"

Her character: Granddaughter of Omri, one of Israel's most idolatrous and evil kings, she was the daughter of Ahab and most likely of Jezebel as well. She was the only woman to rule over Judah. While Ahab and Jezebel spread Baal worship in the northern kingdom of Israel, Athaliah was busy promoting it a few years later in the southern kingdom of Judah. Controlled by her need for power, she murdered her own family members to secure it.
Her sorrow: That her attempt to destroy the royal line of Judah failed.
Her joy: That her ruthlessness paid off, at least for a time, making her the ruler of Judah.
Key Scriptures: 2 Kings 11; 2 Chronicles 22; 23:11-21

JEHOSHEBA

Her name means: "The Lord Is Great"

Her character: A princess and the wife of the high priest, she was a courageous woman whose actions preserved the line of Judah, from which the Messiah would come.
Her sorrow: To have endured Athaliah's reign in Judah and to have suffered the loss of many of her nephews at the queen's hand.
Her joy: To have preserved the life of her brother's youngest son, Joash, so that he could become the rightful king of Judah.
Key Scriptures: 2 Kings 11:2; 2 Chronicles 22:11

Their Story

Wicked queens are the stuff of fairy tales. Remember the snow queen in the tales of Hans Christian Andersen, or the evil queen in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? Athaliah was at least as bad as her fairy-tale counterparts, a queen who chilled the hearts of God's people by murdering her own grandsons and promoting Baal worship in the southern kingdom of Judah, just as her parents, Ahab and Jezebel, had promoted it in the north.

Athaliah married the king of Judah, thereby cementing an alliance between the northern and southern kingdoms. But after a few years he died and was succeeded by Athaliah's son, Ahaziah. In just a few months, Jehu, Jezebel's nemesis, slaughtered the new king.

After Queen Athaliah's husband and son were killed, she must have felt vulnerable and isolated, doubly so since her father Ahab's line had also been destroyed in Israel. Her paranoia and lust for power formed a toxic mixture, moving her to murder her own son's children to secure Judah's throne for herself. Indeed she may even have gloated that she, Baal's emissary, had snuffed out Judah's royal heirs, making it impossible for God to fulfill his promise of a future Messiah from David's line in the tribe of Judah.

For a few years, from about 841-835 bc, Athaliah reigned in Judah, promoting Baal worship and leading the people further and further from God. But right under her nose a conspiracy was brewing. Unknown to her, one of her grandsons still lived. Her own stepdaughter, Jehosheba, had hidden the infant, Joash, before the queen could murder him along with Ahaziah's other sons. Married to the high priest, Jehosheba risked her life by tucking the royal heir away in the temple for six years. Then, when the boy turned seven, her husband arranged a coup, crowning young Joash king.

As soon as Athaliah caught wind of the plot, she rushed to the temple, tearing her robes and screaming, "Treason! Treason!" But like her mother, Jezebel, before her, no one paid the slightest attention. Instead, Queen Athaliah was promptly seized and executed just outside the temple. As soon as the queen was dispatched, the people of Judah celebrated by destroying the temple of Baal along with its chief priest.

While the comparisons between Athaliah and Jezebel are all too obvious, their story reminds us of another that took place seven hundred years before. Egypt's Pharaoh, determined to destroy God's people, had ordered every male baby drowned in the Nile River. Like Pharaoh, hoodwinked by one of his own children (his daughter saved Moses and raised him as her own), Athaliah was fooled by her stepdaughter, Jehosheba. Once again a woman's courage and compassion helped to subvert evil and keep the promise alive.

Their Promise

God always wins. That's a pretty simplistic way of saying it, but it's true nonetheless. Even when people like Athaliah try to stomp out an entire family and put an end to God's plan for redemption, when people like the priests of Baal lead others to worship idols instead of the true God, God will always triumph in the end. The negative forces of our culture make us wonder where we're headed as a people. Many of our leaders show little integrity or morality, and dishonesty is overlooked in the workplace. Kindness is often the exception rather than the rule. But don't despair. This is not a battle God plans to lose. In the end, he will prevail!

This devotional is drawn from Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda. Used with permission.
Wicked queens are the stuff of fairy tales.

LHM Daily Devotions - Strength of Soul

"Strength of Soul"

Jul. 22, 2019

I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your Name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your Name and Your Word. On the day I called, You answered me; my strength of soul You increased.

~ Psalm 138:2-3 (ESV)

When a prayer is answered as we hoped, there is nothing quite like the joy it brings. We may feel as if all the promises of God's Word are fulfilled in that one answered prayer. We cannot stop praising His holy Name and sharing the good news. We grow confident in faith, assured once again that God is faithful as we always knew Him to be. Our "strength of soul" is increased. With such a gift of answered prayer, we could move mountains!

But what if the hoped-for answer is not given? What if God's will in the circumstances we face is different than our own plans? Our strength of soul may wither in the face of disappointment and grief. In such crushing times we acknowledge the truth of God's statement: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD" (Isaiah 55:8). We can be sure that our prayers have been heard and, as we bear a cross, the Holy Spirit will be at work through the Word to increase our strength of soul.

In days of crisis or loss, we learn once again to lean on our Heavenly Father, trusting Him, knowing that for the sake of Christ Jesus our Savior, He looks on us with love and favor. We learn to pray, "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life" (Psalm 138:7a). We have our own ideas and plans, but our Father's wisdom and compassion are far greater than our own. His will surrounds us like a shielding wall, and we learn to pray as our Lord did in Gethsemane, "Not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 2:42b). Jesus' prayer—that He might not drink the cup of suffering, the cup of God's wrath against sin—was not answered as Jesus asked. It was the Father's will that His Son drain that cup of suffering for the sake of our salvation. Our lives were preserved as the Son yielded up His life.

In faith and confident humility we join the psalmist to pray, "Your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands" (Psalm 138:8). The answer to that prayer is already confirmed in God's Word: "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5b). We hear God's faithful promise and once again His Name and Word are exalted, and our strength of soul increased.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, lead us to trust You in days of joy and sorrow, when prayers are answered as we hoped and when they are not. By the power of Your Spirit, increase our strength of soul, to the honor of Your holy Name. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you go to God in a crisis first, or is He more of a "last resort"?
2. Do you feel your prayers are specifically responded to by God?
3. When you pray do you ever get on your knees? Is there any benefit to doing this?

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do you go to God in a crisis first, or is He more of a "last resort"?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 22 de Julio de 2019 - El alma llena de vigor

ALIMENTO DIARIO

El alma llena de vigor

22 de Julio de 2019

De rodillas, y en dirección a tu santo templo, alabaré tu nombre por tu misericordia y fidelidad, por la grandeza de tu nombre y porque tu palabra está por encima de todo. Cuando te llamé, me respondiste, y mi alma desfallecida se llenó de vigor.

~ Salmo 138:2-3 (RVC)

No hay nada que se compare a la alegría que sentimos cuando Dios contesta nuestra oración. En esos momentos sentimos como si todas las promesas de la Palabra de Dios se cumplieran en esa respuesta y no podemos menos que alabar su santo nombre y compartir las buenas nuevas, creciendo aún más en la convicción que tenemos de que Dios es fiel. Esto, a su vez, nos llena de tal manera el alma de vigor, ¡que podríamos mover montañas!

¿Pero qué pasa cuando no recibimos la respuesta deseada? ¿Qué pasa cuando la voluntad de Dios es diferente a nuestros planes? Ante la decepción y el dolor, el vigor de nuestra alma puede marchitarse. Pero entonces recordamos las palabras del Señor: "Mis pensamientos no son los pensamientos de ustedes, ni son sus caminos mis caminos" (Isaías 55:8). Podemos estar seguros de que nuestras oraciones son escuchadas y que el Espíritu Santo está obrando a través de la Palabra para aumentar el vigor de nuestra alma.

En las crisis aprendemos a apoyarnos en el amor y favor que nuestro Padre Celestial nos ha mostrado a través de su hijo Jesús, y oramos: "Cuando me encuentre angustiado, tú me infundirás nueva vida" (Salmo 138:7a). Si bien tenemos nuestras propias ideas y planes, podemos confiar en que la sabiduría y compasión de nuestro Padre son mucho más grandes que las nuestras. Su voluntad nos rodea como un muro de protección, por lo que podemos orar como lo hizo nuestro Señor en Getsemaní: "Pero que no se haga mi voluntad, sino la tuya" (Lucas 22:42b).

Con fe y humilde confianza nos unimos al salmista para orar: "Tú, Señor, cumplirás en mí tus planes; tu misericordia, Señor, permanece para siempre. Yo soy creación tuya. ¡No me desampares!" (Salmo 138:8). La respuesta a esa oración ya está confirmada en la Palabra de Dios: "No te desampararé, ni te abandonaré" (Hebreos 13:5b). Una vez más, la promesa fiel de Dios llena de vigor nuestra alma.

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, guíanos a confiar en ti en el gozo como en la tristeza, cuando las oraciones se contestan como esperamos y cuando no. Por el poder de tu Espíritu, aumenta el vigor de nuestra alma para honor de tu santo Nombre. Amén.

Dra. Carol Geisler

Para reflexionar:

• Si Dios no es tu primer recurso en una crisis, ¿qué puedes hacer para que lo sea?
• Piensa en una vez en que Dios respondió tu oración como tú querías. ¿Cómo te sentiste?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
Si Dios no es tu primer recurso en una crisis, ¿qué puedes hacer para que lo sea?

Notre Pain Quotidien - Fidèle même en prison

Fidèle même en prison

Lisez : Genèse 39.6-12,20-23

La Bible en un an : Psaumes 31 – 32 ; Actes 23.16-35

[Il] fut là, en prison. L’Éternel fut avec Joseph. V. 20,21

Lorsqu’on est venu sonner à sa porte un matin de 1948, Haralan Popov n’avait pas idée du tournant que prendrait alors sa vie. Sans crier gare, la police bulgare l’a jeté en prison en raison de sa foi. Il a passé les treize années suivantes derrière les barreaux, à prier pour avoir la force et le courage de garder la foi. En dépit des traitements horribles qu’on lui infligeait, il a continué de croire que Dieu était avec lui et d’annoncer la Bonne Nouvelle aux autres détenus ; et nombre d’entre eux sont venus à Christ.

Dans Genèse 37, on peut voir que Joseph n’avait pas idée de ce qui l’attendait après que ses frères impitoyables l’ont vendu à des marchands en route vers l’Égypte. Ceux-ci l’ont vendu à Potiphar, un officier de Pharaon. Il s’est ainsi retrouvé dans une culture adorant des milliers de dieux. Pour empirer les choses, la femme de Potiphar a tenté de séduire Joseph ; mais comme il refusait toujours ses avances, elle a porté contre lui de fausses accusations lui valant d’être jeté en prison (39.16-20). Dieu ne l’a toutefois pas abandonné. Non seulement était-il constamment avec Joseph, mais il « faisait prospérer entre ses mains tout ce [que Joseph] entreprenait » et « le mit en faveur aux yeux du chef de la prison » (39.3,21).

Imaginez la peur que Joseph a dû ressentir, en restant néanmoins fidèle et intègre. Le Dieu aux desseins parfaits l’a accompagné au fil de ses malheurs, et en fait autant pour nous. Gardons donc courage et foi en son omniprésence, son omnipotence et son omniscience.

Seigneur, merci de rester continuellement avec moi.

par Estera Pirosca Escobar

© 2019 Ministères NPQ
Lorsqu’on est venu sonner à sa porte un matin de 1948, Haralan Popov n’avait pas idée du tournant que prendrait alors sa vie. Sans crier gare, la police bulgare l’a jeté en prison en raison de sa foi.