The Daily Lectionary for TUESDAY, July 23, 2019

Christ Our Advocate
1 John 2:1-6

The Daily Lectionary

TUESDAY, July 23, 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 8:13—9:4

8:13 In that day the beautiful young women and the young men
     shall faint for thirst.
14 Those who swear by Ashimah of Samaria,
     and say, “As your god lives, O Dan,”
   and, “As the way of Beer-sheba lives”—
     they shall fall, and never rise again.

The Destruction of Israel
9:1 I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said:
   Strike the capitals until the thresholds shake,
     and shatter them on the heads of all the people;
   and those who are left I will kill with the sword;
     not one of them shall flee away,
     not one of them shall escape.

2  Though they dig into Sheol,
     from there shall my hand take them;
   though they climb up to heaven,
     from there I will bring them down.
3  Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,
     from there I will search out and take them;
   and though they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea,
     there I will command the sea-serpent, and it shall bite them.
4  And though they go into captivity in front of their enemies,
     there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them;
   and I will fix my eyes on them
     for harm and not for good.

1 John 2:1-6

Christ Our Advocate
2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

3 Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. 4 Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; 5 but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: 6 whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk just as he walked.

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
He (Jesus) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

The Morning Prayer for TUESDAY, July 23, 2019

Tuesday Morning Prayer

Lord, on this day I chose to put You first. Thank You that when You are at the center of our family, our lives are rich with love and goodness. Lord, be the running stream, springing up at the very heart of our household. Might we drink daily from the water of life, that our days would be filled with kindness, forgiveness, trust and love. Amen.

May this day be a gentle time

Of love and kindness shown,

To all my friends and family

A love that helps us grow.

Let Tuesday always prompt my heart

To place my life in You.

To see Your holy will be done

I give my life anew.

Verse of the Day for TUESDAY, July 23, 2019

Matthew 19:14 (NIV) Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Read all of Matthew 19

Listen to Matthew 19

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, July 23, 2019

Oración por dependencia de Dios

¡Este Dios es nuestro Dios eterno! ¡Él nos guiará para siempre!

~ Salmo 48:14 (NVI)

Mi Jesús, quiero en este día reconocer que he estado dependiendo de las personas sin tenerte en cuenta a ti. Por error he puesto mi dependencia en otros y no te he dado tu lugar.

Quiero aprender a depender de ti únicamente, sabiendo que me amas, que eres fiel y que nunca cambias.

Gracias por las promesas que has dejado en la Biblia para mí. Ayúdame a creerlas y tomarlas para mí.

Señor, me comprometo a depender de ti y honrarte el resto de mis días.

Amén y amén.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Mi Jesús, quiero en este día reconocer que he estado dependiendo de las personas sin tenerte en cuenta a ti. Por error he puesto mi dependencia en otros y no te he dado tu lugar...

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Tuesday, July 23, 2019

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”

~ Matthew 5:14-15 (NIV)

Jesus is also the great light of the world (John 8:12). Those who believe in Him are brought out of darkness into His light (Colossians1:12-13) and in turn become lights also. In essence, they live the Beatitudes. What does light do?

A. It exposes dirt - If Christians live holy and righteous lives, it will show up the unrighteous deeds of others (Ephesians 5:8-14). An example is that people who take bribes feel very vulnerable if there are others that don't. Christians who work in government offices can, by their uprightness and integrity, diminish the amount of corruption just by their very presence and principles.

B. It lights up the way so that we do not stumble - If Christians walk by the principles of the Word of God, their lives take on a higher purpose and direction than that of self. This will not fail to attract the attention of a watching world. The world then is faced with a choice—to accept or reject such a model. To those who reject, that light becomes darkness. But for those who accept, that light illumines their lives and they will not make wrong choices.

C. It discourages works of darkness - More crimes are committed at night than in the daytime.

D. It dispels fear - When light shines, the phantoms of the night just fade away. People who are afraid of the dark prefer to sleep with the light on.

Light even enables discernment to be made—between friend and foe and between truth and counterfeit. It enables work to be done. Light enables plants to grow. Used in modern technology, it aids in telecommunications (fiber optics), helps to heal (lasers), and aids in publishing books.

The light of the gospel also blesses in so many ways. And Christians who walk in it can in turn help others by sharing the knowledge they have concerning life, death, sin, salvation, God, the devil, heaven and hell. For these are the issues that plague man on a wide scale and for which they are striving to find adequate answers. The light will be recognized, not just in words, but in “good deeds” which lead others to praise our Father in heaven.

In Kumasi, Ghana, African Enterprise has been organizing city-cleaning teams. Before an evangelistic campaign, Christians often ask government leaders if they can clean it up. Then they send out teams of people with makeshift straw brooms and pails of soapy water to scrub the city. Christian workers have cleaned hospitals, city parks, and government grounds before major outreaches to exemplify practical love.

RESPONSE: Today I am determined to shine for Jesus—the true light of the world!

PRAYER: Lord, I want my life to count for You and Your kingdom. Help me be a lighthouse for You.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

LHM Daily Devotions - July 23, 2019 "Sass"

"Sass"

Jul. 23, 2019

Then Abraham drew near and said, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will You then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" And the LORD said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

~ Genesis 18:23-26 (ESV)

Have you ever had a child be sassy with you? The Vietnamese have a proverb, "The rain falls up!" They say it whenever a child has the audacity to try to correct or bargain with his elders. It means, "You're stepping out of your place, getting too big for your britches."

In our text for today we see Abraham doing that very same thing with the Lord God. And God allows it—encourages it, even! Notice that it is God Himself who has started this whole conversation by deliberately telling Abraham he's about to destroy the cities of the plains: "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?" (Genesis 18:17b).

God knows very well that Abraham has family living in Sodom—his nephew Lot, to be precise. So God tosses this bit of information out there, and Abraham takes the bait. Oh so respectfully, he argues God down—first with fifty righteous, then forty-five, then forty, then thirty, and so on—until God finally says, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it" (Genesis 18:32b).

Abraham must have been relieved. Surely, Lot's household alone would supply the ten righteous people! He did not know how deeply Sodom had corrupted his nephew's family. But although there were not ten righteous found in Sodom after all, still God honored the spirit of Abraham's request, and rescued his relatives alive from the city.

But I'd like to look more closely at Abraham's bargaining. It's bold, yes; it's even a bit cheeky, impudent, sassy, to speak this way to the Lord of all the earth. And yet it tells us something valuable about the relationship between God and Abraham. That relationship is based on love and trust—not just fear. That is why Abraham had the courage, the audacity, to speak this way to God.

My son can speak this way to his father because he knows his father loves him—because he trusts his father to take the conversation in the way intended instead of taking real offense. Put bluntly, he feels safe with his father. Abraham, too, felt safe with God. He trusted God to take his asking the right way—and to show mercy to him and his nephew.

What about us? We, too, are in a close relationship with God. We are His children by adoption through Jesus our Savior. And so, when we need to, we can come boldly into God's presence, asking for what we need—even when it feels cheeky or "too much." After all, He is the One who suffered, died, and rose again for us. He will treat us with mercy and love.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to trust You enough to ask for what I need, even when it seems too much. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Have you ever had to handle a bad situation and in so doing throw out some of the good with the bad?
• What does it say about Abraham's persistent pleading with God about Sodom's sin? What does it say about God's forbearance?
• Have you ever pleaded with God to spare someone ill fortune because of his or her bad choices?

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).
Have you ever had to handle a bad situation and in so doing throw out some of the good with the bad?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 23 de Julio de 2019 - Un poco atrevido

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Un poco atrevido

23 de Julio de 2019

Y se acercó Abrahán y le dijo: «¿Acaso vas a destruir al justo con el injusto? Tal vez haya cincuenta justos en la ciudad. ¿Acaso destruirás ese lugar, y no lo perdonarás por los cincuenta justos que estén allí adentro? ¡Lejos sea de ti hacer morir al justo con el impío, y tratar al justo como al impío! ¡Jamás hagas tal cosa! ¿Acaso el Juez de toda la tierra no debe hacer lo que es justo?» El Señor respondió: «Si dentro de la ciudad de Sodoma encuentro a cincuenta justos, por ellos perdonaré a todos los que estén allí.»"

~ Génesis 18:23-26 (RVC)

¿Alguna vez tu hijo se ha hecho el atrevido contigo? Los vietnamitas tienen un proverbio: "¡La lluvia cae para arriba!" Lo dicen cada vez que un niño tiene la audacia de corregir o negociar con sus mayores. Significa: "Estás saliéndote de tu lugar, estás siendo demasiado atrevido".

En el texto de hoy vemos a Abraham haciendo lo mismo con el Señor Dios... ¡y Dios no solo lo permite, sino que incluso lo alienta! Un poco antes, en Génesis 18:17, Dios mismo inicia la conversación, diciéndole deliberadamente a Abraham que está a punto de destruir las ciudades de las llanuras: "¿Acaso voy a ocultarle a Abrahán lo que voy a hacer?".

Dios sabe muy bien que Lot, el sobrino de Abraham, vive en Sodoma, por lo que le tira esa información y Abraham muerde el anzuelo y, con mucho respeto, regatea con Dios: primero con cincuenta justos, luego cuarenta y cinco, luego cuarenta, luego treinta y así sucesivamente, hasta que Dios finalmente dice: "Aun por esos diez, no la destruiré" (Génesis 18:32b).

Abraham debe haberse sentido aliviado. ¡Seguramente la casa de Lot suministraría a las diez personas justas! Lamentablemente, no sabía cuán profundamente había corrompido Sodoma a la familia de su sobrino. Pero, a pesar de que no se encontraron diez justos en Sodoma, Dios honró el espíritu de la petición de Abraham y rescató a sus parientes de la ciudad.

Abraham fue muy audaz, incluso un poco atrevido e insolente al hablarle de esa manera al Señor del cielo y de la tierra. Sin embargo, esto nos dice algo valioso sobre la relación entre Dios y Abraham: su relación estaba basada en el amor y la confianza y no en el miedo. Es por eso que Abraham tuvo el coraje y la audacia de hablarle así a Dios.

Mi hijo puede hablar de esa manera con su padre porque sabe que su padre lo ama, porque confía en que su padre no se va a ofender. Dicho de otra manera: porque se siente seguro con su padre. Abraham también se sintió seguro con Dios. Confiaba en que Dios no se iba a enojar y que mostraría misericordia para con él y su sobrino.

¿Qué pasa con nosotros? Nosotros también tenemos esa relación con Dios. Somos sus hijos por adopción a través de Jesús, nuestro Salvador. Y así, cuando lo necesitamos, podemos llegar audazmente a la presencia de Dios y pedirle lo que necesitamos, incluso cuando parezca atrevido. Después de todo, él es quien sufrió, murió y resucitó por nosotros. Él nos tratará con misericordia y amor.

ORACIÓN: Querido Señor, ayúdame a confiar en ti lo suficiente como para pedirte lo que necesito, incluso cuando parezca atrevido. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo

Para reflexionar:

• ¿Qué aprendes de Dios con respecto al pecado de Sodoma y Gomorra?
• ¿Qué aprendes de Dios a partir de la súplica constante de Abraham?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Qué aprendes de Dios con respecto al pecado de Sodoma y Gomorra?

Nuestro Pan Diario - Ojos en la nuca

Ojos en la nuca

Leer: Salmo 33:6-19 | La Biblia en un año: Salmos 33–34 Hechos 24

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Desde el lugar de su morada miró [el Señor] sobre todos los moradores de la tierra (Salmo 33:14).

De pequeña, era tan traviesa como cualquier otro niño, y trataba de ocultar mi mal comportamiento para evitar caer en problemas. No obstante, mi madre solía descubrir lo que había hecho. Recuerdo cómo me asombraba lo rápido y precisamente que se enteraba de mis travesuras. Cuando le preguntaba cómo sabía, siempre respondía: «Tengo ojos en la nuca». Por supuesto, esto me llevaba a investigar su cuello cuando ella se daba vuelta… ¿eran ojos invisibles o estaban escondidos detrás de su cabello rojizo? Cuando crecí, dejé de buscar pruebas de su par de ojos extra y me di cuenta de que yo no era tan astuta como creía. Su mirada atenta era una muestra de su amor e interés por sus hijos.

Si bien estoy agradecida por el cuidado de mi madre (¡aunque a veces me frustraba no salirme con la mía!), más agradecida estoy aún de que Dios ve a «todos los hijos de los hombres» cuando mira desde el cielo (Salmo 33:13). El Señor ve mucho más que nosotros; ve nuestra tristeza, nuestras alegrías y nuestro amor unos por otros.

Dios ve nuestro verdadero carácter y siempre sabe lo que necesitamos. Con una visión perfecta, cuida a los que lo aman y esperan en Él (v. 18). Dios es nuestro Padre atento y amoroso.

Padre, gracias por estar atento a las necesidades de todos y ver lo que sucede en el mundo y en mi vida.

¿Cómo te consuela saber que Dios ve todo y que vela por ti? ¿Qué ha estado haciendo Él recientemente para mejorar tu carácter?

Por Kirsten Holmberg

© 2019 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
De pequeña, era tan traviesa como cualquier otro niño, y trataba de ocultar mi mal comportamiento para evitar caer en problemas. No obstante ...