Thursday, July 25, 2019

The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, July 26, 2019

Peter preaches at Pentecost

The Daily Lectionary
FRIDAY, July 26, 2019
(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)
(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

Psalm 85
Prayer for the Restoration of God’s Favor
To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.
1 Lord, you were favorable to your land;
    you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
    you pardoned all their sin.   Selah
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
    you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
    and put away your indignation toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
    Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
    so that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
    for he will speak peace to his people,
    to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
    that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
    righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
    and righteousness will look down from the sky.
12 The Lord will give what is good,
    and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him,
    and will make a path for his steps.

Hosea 5:1-15
Impending Judgment on Israel and Judah
5:1 Hear this, O priests!
     Give heed, O house of Israel!
   Listen, O house of the king!
     For the judgment pertains to you;
   for you have been a snare at Mizpah,
     and a net spread upon Tabor,
2  and a pit dug deep in Shittim;
     but I will punish all of them.

3  I know Ephraim,
     and Israel is not hidden from me;
   for now, O Ephraim, you have played the whore;
     Israel is defiled.
4  Their deeds do not permit them
     to return to their God.
   For the spirit of whoredom is within them,
     and they do not know the Lord.

5  Israel’s pride testifies against him;
     Ephraim stumbles in his guilt;
     Judah also stumbles with them.
6  With their flocks and herds they shall go
     to seek the Lord,
   but they will not find him;
     he has withdrawn from them.
7  They have dealt faithlessly with the Lord;
     for they have borne illegitimate children.
     Now the new moon shall devour them along with their fields.

8  Blow the horn in Gibeah,
     the trumpet in Ramah.
   Sound the alarm at Beth-aven;
     look behind you, Benjamin!
9  Ephraim shall become a desolation
     in the day of punishment;
   among the tribes of Israel
     I declare what is sure.
10 The princes of Judah have become
     like those who remove the landmark;
   on them I will pour out
     my wrath like water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment,
     because he was determined to go after vanity.
12 Therefore I am like maggots to Ephraim,
     and like rottenness to the house of Judah.
13 When Ephraim saw his sickness,
     and Judah his wound,
   then Ephraim went to Assyria,
     and sent to the great king.
   But he is not able to cure you
     or heal your wound.
14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
     and like a young lion to the house of Judah.
   I myself will tear and go away;
     I will carry off, and no one shall rescue.
15 I will return again to my place
     until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face.
     In their distress they will beg my favor:

Acts 2:22-36
2:22 “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— 23 this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. 24 But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. 25 For David says concerning him,

   ‘I saw the Lord always before me,
     for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
     moreover my flesh will live in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
     or let your Holy One experience corruption.
28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
     you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

29 “Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying,

   ‘He was not abandoned to Hades,
     nor did his flesh experience corruption.’

32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

   ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
   “Sit at my right hand,
35   until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

36 Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

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
On Pentecost Peter preaches Christtelling people who Jesus is, what Jesus does and how Jesus blesses us.

The Morning Prayer for FRIDAY, July 26, 2019


Friday Morning Prayer

Lord on this day I am aware of the troubles and darkness in our world. Please come and lead me in prayers for my community, my nation and the world. You are the light that shines in the bleakest times, let your Kingdom be built on earth. May those who suffer be comforted, may those who are at war search for peace, and may those who are in pain find healing. Amen.

May Friday be a thoughtful day
When Your Spirit leads my prayer.
I trust each trouble small and wide,
With faith into Your care.
Let Friday always prompt my heart
To stand upon the truth.
Darkness has been overcome
The Earth belongs to You.

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, July 26, 2019

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NIV&search=Hebrews%2011:1

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Read all of Hebrews 11

Listen to Hebrews 11

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 - Friday, July 26, 2019

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/un-dia-vez/2019/07/26

El odio

Si vosotros no perdonáis, tampoco vuestro Padre que está en los cielos os perdonará vuestras ofensas.

El odio es un sentimiento muy negativo. Se manifiesta en una profunda antipatía, disgusto, aversión, enemistad o repulsión hacia una persona, cosa, situación o fenómeno, por lo que se desea evitar, limitar o destruir lo que se odia.

El odio proviene exactamente de la misma fuente que el amor y forma parte de la humanidad. El odio es destructivo y autodestructivo. Es como un veneno que se riega y contamina y crea raíces de amargura. Además, te aleja por completo de Dios, ya que Él es amor.

No es bueno si tienes este tipo de sentimientos porque terminarás mal a la larga. Recuerda también que por odio muchas personas han cometido las peores locuras y han hecho terribles decisiones entre intentos de asesinatos y venganzas. Lo que es más triste, hay personas que su propio odio los alcanza y se eliminan a sí mismas.

Si hoy te has identificado con el odio, es tiempo de decirle a Dios lo siguiente: «No quiero odiar más y deseo sanar mi corazón. Así que te ruego que me limpies y me purifique. Permite que hoy mismo pueda liberarme, perdonar y sacar todo lo que me hace daño».

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
El odio es un sentimiento muy negativo. Se manifiesta en una profunda antipatía, disgusto, aversión, enemistad o repulsión hacia una persona, cosa, situación o fenómeno, por lo que se desea evitar, limitar o destruir lo que se odia.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Friday, July 26, 2019

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/standing-strong-through-the-storm/2019/07/26
EMPATHY WITH THOSE NEEDING COMFORT

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
~ Isaiah 40:1 (NIV)

In July, 2011 the world was stunned as peaceful Norway experienced a bombing in downtown Oslo and the shooting massacre at a youth camp outside the capital. When the dust settled, the shocking death toll stood at seventy-six. Letters and e-mails of comfort, support and prayers for the grieving families and nation poured into the Open Doors-Norway office. On July 25th our Norwegian Director sent out the following message:

On behalf of our people and nation, I want to thank all of you around the world who are praying for us and are sending words of comfort after the terrible acts that have shaken the nation.

A week ago my wife and I met the Ortiz family in Ariel, Israel. They experienced a bomb attack that almost killed their son Ami a few years ago. They gave us a cup with the Israeli and Norwegian flags on it, and an inscription from Isaiah 40:1, Comfort, yes comfort my people! The last days these words have become a message to our people, the Norwegian nation.

In Haifa we also met the parents of a Christian girl who was one of many victims after a suicide bomber killed dozens of Israeli school children on a bus some years ago. Every year they have a memorial day. They have buttons with the text: ‘Don’t forget – don´t forgive.’ But the Christian parents said, ‘We cannot wear that button. We do not want revenge or hatred to fill our hearts. We are called to forgive and love.’ But of course, they will always have the pain.

It is not possible to find words that express the pain and sadness we feel after such cruel deeds. But we can already see good and beautiful things coming up. People are focusing on how to comfort and help each other. People cry together, and king, queen and prime minister show their emotions before the whole nation. Politicians from different parties are talking to another in a different way, and people admire their good leadership in this difficult time. There are great discussions and wise speeches about the most important subjects. As a nation we have hard days, but also days of learning.

People come to church in a very humble way. It is a place for prayers, lamentations, hope, comfort and love in these days; a place to meet the Comforter and Savior.

In Open Doors we frequently get information about terror against sisters and brothers from so many places in the world. Some times it feels ‘far away.’ But now we will hopefully understand more of the fear and threat every persecuted Christian faces in their lives.

Grace and peace! The staff of Open Doors-Norway

RESPONSE: Thank God that He comforts us so that we can use His comfort to comfort others.

PRAYER: Pray today for all brothers and sisters experiencing the fear and pain of terror and loss.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
Every year they have a memorial day. They have buttons with the text: ‘Don’t forget – don´t forgive.’

Men of the Bible - Friday, July 26, 2019

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/men-of-the-bible/2019/07/26

Nehemiah

His name means: "God Is Consolation"

His work: Nehemiah was a Jew living in Babylon. He and his people had been defeated by the Assyrians and taken as slaves to a foreign land. The Persians had conquered the Assyrians and were now in power. Nehemiah served Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, as his personal adviser and escort, or cupbearer. Surrounded by the opulence of a palace, Nehemiah had an eye for building and construction.
His character: Nehemiah was a tenderhearted man who loved God's people. He honored the living God and was also a man of courage and vision. His Sorrow: Living as an exile deeply troubled Nehemiah. He longed for "home" even though he had never lived there.
His triumph: Unlike his forefathers who had been defeated by the size of the task, Nehemiah's dream was to rebuild the wall surrounding Jerusalem.
Key Scriptures: Nehemiah 1-4

A Look at the Man

It's hard to imagine living your life in captivity. Rights that free men take for granted—where to live, where to work, where to go—may be denied someone living in exile. This was the lot of Nehemiah. His beloved nation had been conquered, his people driven to a foreign land where they lived as captives. But Nehemiah was not going to let external circumstances control his character. Instead, he resolved to live with integrity and in reverence before God, regardless of his locale.

Nehemiah had a dream that would not be denied by his circumstances. Like so many of the "ordinary" men of the Bible, Nehemiah believed that God was with him and would call him someday to a great task.

One day that mission presented itself to Nehemiah in the form of a fellow Hebrew named Hanani. The man reported to Nehemiah that the wall surrounding Jerusalem lay in ruin. Many years before, conquering nations had decimated it, tearing the stones to the ground and burning the great wooden gates.

In his mind, lying in bed at night, Nehemiah could see the walls of Jerusalem shining in the noonday sun, standing strong as a testament to God's presence therein. A skeptic could have argued that the odds were stacked against him, and everything told him it was impossible. How will you quit your job? The king will never let you go. How will you get back to Jerusalem? The journey is long and dangerous. Who will pay for this project? The cost in human labor and materials is well beyond your reach. You're a slave, Nehemiah. You're hundreds of miles from home, Nehemiah. You don't have a shekel to your name, Nehemiah.

But Nehemiah was not to be denied. The story of his successful campaign—the fulfillment of his dream—is the stuff of folklore and legend.

Ironically, as the story of the rebuilding of the wall unfolded, Nehemiah's greatest foes were not those tactical challenges—travel, safety, funding—but the emotional ones. Nehemiah and those who were working with him were forced to face the greatest test of all—discouragement.

In his sovereignty, God allowed two men, Sanballat and Tobiah, to attempt to interfere with Nehemiah's work. At first their taunts were verbal: "What are those feeble Jews doing? If even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones." But when their words didn't stop the men's efforts, their mocking words turned to threats of sabotage.

So Nehemiah stationed half of the workers as sentries with swords, spears, and bows to guard the walls. The rest of the workers—even those who were carrying the building materials—kept their weapons close by. Because of his steadfastness and confidence in God, these attempts to thwart Nehemiah's dream were crushed. And he knew where his protection was coming from. "Our God will fight for us," he told the people.

Reflect On: Nehemiah 6:15–16
Praise God: For empowering his faithful servants to do great things.
Offer Thanks: For granting us minds to dream and courage to tackle those dreams.
Confess: The temptation to take a dream that only serves our purposes and ask God to bless it, rather than to listen first to his voice.
Ask God: To give you joy in your work—to see it as the place where God wants you to be to accomplish his purposes.

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book's title must be included when sharing the above content on social media.
It's hard to imagine living your life in captivity. Rights that free men take for granted—where to live, where to work, where to go—may be denied someone living in exile.

LHM Daily Devotions - July 26, 2019 "What Do Others See?"

https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/default.asp?date=20190726

"What Do Others See?"

Jul. 26, 2019

But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
~ James 1:22-24 (ESV)

You look at yourself in a mirror for a variety of reasons, all of which have something to do with your personal appearance. You use mirrors to shave and put on make-up. You look into a mirror to be sure the image you present is the image you want others to see. On the other hand, if a person looks into a mirror and then goes away, forgetting what he looks like, looking into a mirror accomplishes nothing.

James 1:22-24 says the same is true of looking into the "mirror" of God's Word. By hearing the Word of God, James says, you see what you are like. Looking into the mirror of God's Word should help you do your best, that is, present the image that you should present to other people as a Christian. If, however, you look into the mirror of God's Word and forget what you looked like, you will probably not make a good appearance to others either.

To make a good appearance to others as a child of God, James says it's not enough to just look into the mirror of God's Word—i.e. to be only a hearer of that Word. You must also remember what you looked like so that you can make a good appearance before others as a doer of God's Word. To be a doer of the Word means to put your faith into action, showing others how Jesus' life and teaching are visible in your life. When people see you as one of God's children, you will look like His Son, even as we are daily more and more conformed to the image of our Savior (see Romans 8:28-30).

As you can see, it's important to look into God's mirror and to examine yourself in the light of God's Word regularly. This exercise is maximized, too, when we read and meditate on Scripture in a way that digs deeply into the texts themselves. Paul knew this was true for Timothy when he told him to give his all when spending time in God's Word: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).

God's Word shows us who we are. It reveals the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and gives us the Person (Jesus) we should try to show others in the mirror of our lives.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, in Your Word I see myself as one loved by You. Help me reflect Your love to others in all I do and say. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Reflection Questions:
  • When it's all said and done, there's usually more said than done. How do you try to see to it that you do what you said were going to do?
  • How do you think hearing the Word and not doing it leads to one being deceived?
  • Plagued by sin as we are, how do we become consistent doers of the Word?

From The Lutheran Layman, June 1979 issue, "The Mirror of God's Word," by Ron Schlegel. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
When it's all said and done, there's usually more said than done. How do you try to see to it that you do what you said were going to do?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 26 de Julio de 2019 - ¿Qué ven los demás?


ALIMENTO DIARIO

¿Qué ven los demás?

26 de Julio de 2019

Pero pongan en práctica la palabra, y no se limiten sólo a oírla, pues se estarán engañando ustedes mismos. El que oye la palabra pero no la pone en práctica es como el que se mira a sí mismo en un espejo: se ve a sí mismo, pero en cuanto se va, se olvida de cómo es.

Uno se mira en el espejo por diversas razones, la mayoría relacionadas con la apariencia personal, para asegurarse que la imagen que uno presenta es la que desea que los demás vean. Lo opuesto también es cierto: si nos miramos en un espejo pero no prestamos atención a lo que vemos, de nada nos servirá.

Santiago 1:22-24 dice que lo mismo sucede cuando leemos la Palabra de Dios: nos vemos así como somos. El mirarnos en el espejo de la Palabra de Dios debería ayudarnos a dar lo mejor, o sea, a dar la mejor imagen que, como cristianos, nos corresponde dar a los demás. Pero si al mirar en el espejo de la Palabra de Dios olvidamos lo que vemos, lo más probable es que no presentemos una buena imagen.

Para tener una buena apariencia ante otros como hijo de Dios, Santiago dice que no es suficiente simplemente "mirarnos" en el espejo de la Palabra de Dios, o sea, ser solo "oyentes" de esa Palabra. También debemos recordar cómo nos vemos, para así poder presentarnos correctamente ante los demás como "hacedores" de esa Palabra. Ser un "hacedor" significa poner la fe en acción, haciendo visibles las enseñanzas de Jesús en nuestra vida. Cuando los demás nos ven como hijos de Dios, entonces luciremos como su Hijo, a medida que cada día vamos siendo formados más y más a Su imagen (ver Romanos 8:28-30).

Como puedes ver, es importante que nos miremos en el espejo de Dios y que regularmente nos examinemos a la luz de su Palabra. Sabiendo esto, Pablo le escribió a Timoteo: "Procura con diligencia presentarte ante Dios aprobado, como obrero que no tiene de qué avergonzarse y que usa bien la palabra de verdad" (2 Timoteo 2:15).

La Palabra de Dios nos muestra quiénes somos, revela la gloria de nuestro Señor y Salvador Jesucristo y nos enseña la persona que debemos tratar de reflejar a los demás en el espejo de nuestras vidas.

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, en tu Palabra veo cuánto me amas. Ayúdame a reflejar tu amor a los demás en todo lo que hago y digo. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

De The Lutheran Layman, junio de 1979, "El espejo de la Palabra de Dios", Ron Schlegel

Para reflexionar:
  • ¿Qué prácticas o rutinas te ayudan a ser un consistente "hacedor" de la Palabra?
  • Cuando los demás te miran, ¿qué crees que ven?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Qué prácticas o rutinas te ayudan a ser un consistente "hacedor" de la Palabra?

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Làm Cho Nguyên Vẹn

https://vietnamese-odb.org/2019/07/26/lam-cho-nguyen-ven/

Làm Cho Nguyên Vẹn

Đọc: Ma-thi-ơ 5:9, 13–16 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Thi thiên 40 – 42; Công vụ 27:1–26

Phước cho những người hòa giải. Ma-thi-ơ 5:9

Trong bộ phim tài liệu Nhìn và Xem: Chân dung của Wendell Berry, tác giả Berry nói rằng sự chia lìa mô tả tình trạng của thế giới. Chúng ta ly hôn, xa lìa nhau, chúng ta xa rời lịch sử, quê hương. Những điều nên nguyên vẹn thì lại bị phân cách. Khi được hỏi chúng ta nên làm gì trước thực tế đáng buồn này, Berry nói: “Chúng ta không thể đưa mọi thứ trở lại như cũ. Chúng ta chỉ có thể lấy hai thứ đặt lại với nhau”. Chúng ta lấy hai thứ đã tan vỡ và kết chúng lại thành một.

Chúa Jêsus phán: “Phước cho những người hòa giải” (Mat. 5:9). Làm cho hòa thuận là mang lại bình an (shalom). Và bình an chỉ về một thế giới được sửa lại. Một nhà thần học mô tả bình an là “thịnh vượng, trọn vẹn và hạnh phúc… Đó là cách mà vạn vật phải trở nên”. Bình an là lấy những gì đổ vỡ và làm cho nguyên vẹn. Như Chúa Jêsus dạy, ước mong chúng ta nỗ lực để sửa lại mọi điều. Ngài kêu gọi chúng ta trở thành người hòa giải, là “muối của đất” và “ánh sáng cho thế gian” (c.13-14).

Có nhiều cách để làm người hòa giải trên thế giới, nhưng dù thế nào, ước mong chúng ta sẽ tham gia hàn gắn sự tan vỡ hơn là đầu hàng nó. Bởi quyền năng của Chúa, chúng ta đừng để một tình bạn nào phải mất đi hoặc một người hàng xóm đang vật lộn với nan đề phải mòn mỏi, hay đầu hàng trước sự thờ ơ và cô lập. Hãy tìm kiếm những nơi đổ vỡ, tin rằng Chúa ban cho chúng ta sự khôn ngoan và kỹ năng cần thiết để góp phần hàn gắn.
Đâu là điều mà bạn biết là cần được hàn gắn? Chúa đang kêu gọi bạn góp phần vào việc hàn gắn như thế nào?
Lạy Chúa, quanh con có nhiều điều đổ vỡ. Con không biết bắt đầu từ đâu. Xin Ngài chỉ dạy con.


© 2019 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Trong bộ phim tài liệu Nhìn và Xem: Chân dung của Wendell Berry, tác giả Berry nói rằng sự chia lìa mô tả tình trạng của thế giới.