The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, August 2, 2019

The Daily Lectionary

FRIDAY, August 2, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

Psalm 107:1-9, 43

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Many Troubles
1  O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
     for his steadfast love endures forever.
2  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
     those he redeemed from trouble
3  and gathered in from the lands,
     from the east and from the west,
     from the north and from the south.

4  Some wandered in desert wastes,
     finding no way to an inhabited town;
5  hungry and thirsty,
     their soul fainted within them.
6  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
     and he delivered them from their distress;
7  he led them by a straight way,
     until they reached an inhabited town.
8  Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
     for his wonderful works to humankind.
9  For he satisfies the thirsty,
     and the hungry he fills with good things.

43 Let those who are wise give heed to these things,
     and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

Hosea 9:1-17

Punishment for Israel’s Sin
9:1 Do not rejoice, O Israel!
     Do not exult as other nations do;
   for you have played the whore, departing from your God.
     You have loved a prostitute’s pay
     on all threshing floors.
2  Threshing floor and wine vat shall not feed them,
     and the new wine shall fail them.
3  They shall not remain in the land of the Lord;
     but Ephraim shall return to Egypt,
     and in Assyria they shall eat unclean food.

4  They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the Lord,
     and their sacrifices shall not please him.
   Such sacrifices shall be like mourners’ bread;
     all who eat of it shall be defiled;
   for their bread shall be for their hunger only;
     it shall not come to the house of the Lord.

5  What will you do on the day of appointed festival,
     and on the day of the festival of the Lord?
6  For even if they escape destruction,
     Egypt shall gather them,
     Memphis shall bury them.
   Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver;
     thorns shall be in their tents.

7  The days of punishment have come,
     the days of recompense have come;
     Israel cries,
   “The prophet is a fool,
     the man of the spirit is mad!”
   Because of your great iniquity,
     your hostility is great.
8  The prophet is a sentinel for my God over Ephraim,
   yet a fowler’s snare is on all his ways,
     and hostility in the house of his God.
9  They have deeply corrupted themselves
     as in the days of Gibeah;
   he will remember their iniquity,
     he will punish their sins.

10 Like grapes in the wilderness,
     I found Israel.
   Like the first fruit on the fig tree,
     in its first season,
     I saw your ancestors.
   But they came to Baal-peor,
     and consecrated themselves to a thing of shame,
     and became detestable like the thing they loved.
11 Ephraim’s glory shall fly away like a bird—
     no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!
12 Even if they bring up children,
     I will bereave them until no one is left.
   Woe to them indeed
     when I depart from them!
13 Once I saw Ephraim as a young palm planted in a lovely meadow,
     but now Ephraim must lead out his children for slaughter.
14 Give them, O Lord—
     what will you give?
   Give them a miscarrying womb
     and dry breasts.

15 Every evil of theirs began at Gilgal;
     there I came to hate them.
   Because of the wickedness of their deeds
     I will drive them out of my house.
   I will love them no more;
     all their officials are rebels.

16 Ephraim is stricken,
     their root is dried up,
     they shall bear no fruit.
   Even though they give birth,
     I will kill the cherished offspring of their womb.
17 Because they have not listened to him,
     my God will reject them;
     they shall become wanderers among the nations.

Ephesians 4:17-24

The Old Life and the New
4:17 Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. 19 They have lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 That is not the way you learned Christ! 21 For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. 22 You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

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
God calls us to be different than the vile, unbelieving culture around us. He offers us power to do that.

The Morning Prayer for FRIDAY, August 2, 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, August 2, 2019

James 1:22 (NIV)  Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Read all of James 1

Listen to James 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 - Friday, August 2, 2019

Con sentimentalismos no hay milagros

Hijo mío, si haces tuyas mis palabras [...] entonces comprenderás el temor del Señor y hallarás el conocimiento de Dios.

~ Proverbios 2:1, 5 (NVI)

¿Cómo movemos el corazón de Dios? Es posible que te estés preguntando: «¿De qué manera logro que Dios me dé lo que le pido? ¿Qué sacrificio debo hacer para que Él se conmueva? ¿Debo ayunar por conveniencia?».

Estas son algunas de las maneras más comunes con las que tratamos de mover el corazón de Dios a nuestro favor. Quiero aclarar que no todo el mundo es igual. Hay personas que lo del ayuno lo hacen como Dios manda y es muy poderoso. Sin embargo, es lamentable que se nos olvide que Dios es Dios. Él conoce nuestros intereses e intensiones y no nos va a dar nada por interés. Entonces, ¿por qué tratamos de manipularlo?

Nosotras las mujeres somos muy sensibles y sentimentales, pero les tengo una noticia que quizá ya hayas escuchado: Nuestras lágrimas no mueven el corazón de Dios y tu llanto no va a hacer que las cosas cambien a tu favor.

Dios quiere personas de fe. Quiere personas comprometidas con Él que le busquen en espíritu y en verdad. Lo que en realidad mueve a Dios es nuestra obediencia.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Es posible que te estés preguntando: «¿De qué manera logro que Dios me dé lo que le pido? ¿Qué sacrificio debo hacer para que Él se conmueva? ¿Debo ayunar por conveniencia?».

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Friday, August 2, 2019

BOLD IN THE SPIRIT

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

~ Psalm 84:2 (NIV)

A few months ago a North Korean man successfully waded across the Tumen River into China looking for food, money and work in order to return later to his home country with help for his family. He was befriended by Korean-Chinese Christians (not an uncommon scenario among refugees there). As he sat in Christian meetings, an older woman said to him, “Receive the Holy Spirit or you can’t go back into North Korea; it’s too dangerous!”

After many discussions with believers, he confessed Jesus as Lord of his life and received the Holy Spirit. He packed Bibles along with his food cargo and crossed the river back to North Korea. Though it was a full moon night, there were no guards since everyone was watching North Korea play football (soccer) against Brazil in the World Cup games in South Africa.

As soon as he arrived home, he began talking about his new relationship with God. His family became irate. The young man’s uncle tried to beat this “new idea” of God and Jesus out of him shouting, “How can you believe these things?”

The young man replied, “How can you not? Without God how do the sun and moon rotate?” The Holy Spirit gave words to the surprised young man. Soon the beating was forgotten and the uncle was listening intently. The whole family of this young man ultimately received Jesus as Savior and Lord.

On returning to China for further training, he commented that unless people are filled with the Holy Spirit they should not go back to North Korea because the spiritual warfare is worse than ever.

He concluded, “Only with the Holy Spirit’s help can we be bold. Pray for me that when I am caught I may be bold in my faith.”

RESPONSE: Today I will rely on the Holy Spirit to make me bold in my witness.

PRAYER: Lord, my soul, my heart, my flesh, cry out to You for the filling and power of Your Holy Spirit.

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

Men of the Bible - Friday, August 2, 2019

Job 

His work: Job was a wealthy farmer, herdsman, and landowner.
His character: Next to Jesus Christ, no one in the Bible carries a more remarkable résumé. "This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil…. He was the greatest man among all the peoples of the East."
His sorrow: Except for his own life and the life of his spouse, Job lost everything: cattle, camels, sheep, buildings, servants, and ten children. No one in all of Scripture—except Jesus—suffered more than he. Then to add to the physical devastation, Job had to endure the cross-examination and derision of three friends who clearly did not know what they were talking about.
His triumph: In the end, Job was vindicated by the Lord, and God blessed him with more wealth than he had before. The Lord also gave him ten more children.
Key Scriptures: Job 1; 2; 40

A Look at the Man

It all seems so unfair. God and Satan climbed into opposing grandstands and thrust the unsuspecting Job into the arena.

"There is no one on earth like him," God asserted. "He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

"Of course he's faithful," Satan sneered. "Job's no fool. Look at what you've given him. Who wouldn't be upright with all that prosperity? He's got a good thing going." God knew exactly where this conversation was headed. He wrote the script before the earth was formed. "But open your hand and let me strike everything he has," Satan scoffed. "If I do this, he will curse you to your face. Destroy his things, and then we'll see how upright he is."

"Very well," God replied. "His possessions are all yours."

In that moment Job walked into the arena alone. And in less than a single day, he lost everything—five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels. In just a few hours, nearly all of Job's servants were dead, and then, in a final devastating blow, his seven sons and three daughters were destroyed in a tornado.

Job was broken yet steadfast.

But Satan was not ready to concede. "Open your hand and let me strike his body," Satan chortled to God. "No one can deal with that kind of pain. He will surely curse you to your face."

"Very well," God repeated. "His body is yours, but you may not kill him."

Then, just as Job was burying his last child, painful sores broke out over his entire body. From the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, he was covered with horrible wounds.

His wife had seen enough. "Are you still holding on to your God? What's the use?" she mocked. "Curse him and die!"

But Job refused. "Should we accept good from God and not trouble?"

Then three of Job's friends appeared. For one week they sat quietly with their suffering friend. Not a single word was spoken. At first their kindness opened Job's heart. Then it opened his mouth. He began the slow and downward spiral of asking "why?" "Why?" he asked one friend, shaking his head in disbelief. "Why?" he asked another, clinging to his hands. "Why?" he screamed at the sky. He cursed the day of his birth and expressed his longing to die.

Then Job and his three friends entered into a dialogue that lasted for many days. The conversation was deeply philosophical, tedious, and depressing. The words of Job's friends were neither comforting nor helpful.

"How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?" Job finally lamented.

Then God spoke to Job. "Brace yourself like a man," the Almighty began. "I will question you, and you shall answer me."

Job had never heard anything like this.

"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations?" the sovereign God asked. "Tell me, if you understand, who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!"

God's soliloquy continued uninterrupted. He exposed the greatness of his creation and the mystery and power of his being.

Job was stunned by God's words and overwhelmed by God's very presence amid his pain. "My ears had heard of you," Job finally said. "But now my eyes have seen you."

Reflect On: Job 40:1–7
Praise God: For this lesson graphically illustrated by his faithful servant.
Offer Thanks: For allowing us to draw closer to him no matter how painful our circumstances.
Confess: Our propensity to accuse God of unfairness when he allows suffering to come our way.
Ask God: To show you his perspective on your pain and your doubts and to grant you his peace—the peace that transcends understanding.

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.
Next to Jesus Christ, no one in the Bible carries a more remarkable résumé.

LHM Daily Devotions - August 2, 2019 "Safeguarding Our Minds"

"Safeguarding Our Minds"

Aug. 2, 2019

(Jesus said) "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me."

~ Revelation 3:20 (ESV)

Jesus Christ is knocking on the doors of your life. He wants to enter the door of your mind and thoughts. What will He find when He enters: clutter, chaos, or worse?

Or is there already a large portrait of Jesus hanging on the wall?

In order to be pleasing to Jesus, most of us must admit that our minds could stand a thorough cleansing. We need to deal with the garbage we allow to remain there and work hard at keeping fresh junk out.

Acknowledging your sin and that you have fallen short of God's holy Law is the first step to getting clean. By faith in Christ's atoning death and resurrection, you are clothed in His righteousness. When this happens, rejoice that you have been scrubbed clean.

But that does not mean our struggle with sin is over. We need to fill our minds and thoughts with God and His ways, setting our aim on "the things that are above, not on things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:2b). If we don't, the chances are good our minds will soon be taken over by the desires and passions of the world once again. Jesus tells us this very thing. (See Luke 11:23-26.)

Or as Paul has written, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8).

In other words, fill your mind with God's Word and His ways. Take time to memorize Scripture; learn songs and hymns and psalms that bring glory to God; find a consistent time each day to engage the Lord in prayer. Keep a careful look out for all temptations. It's in our mind where temptations are either turned away or grow into sinful thoughts and actions.

Remember that Christ lives in you, and He is far more powerful than you, the temptation, or Satan. He wants you to have victory over this temptation. A pastor once noted that when he was tempted, he had learned to use that moment as a trigger—to pray for missionary friends overseas. Try something similar when you are tempted. Let your reaction be prayer or song or worship. Sing and praise God when you are tempted, and your mind will be filled with God, rather than sinful thoughts and desires.

Satan won't send temptations very long when their outcome is one of prayer and praise!

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we praise You for living inside us. By Your Holy Spirit, enter our thoughts, be at home in our minds, and take control. Keep us from temptation. By Your strength may our thoughts bring glory to Your Name. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you think of your life as something that Jesus enters and fills?
2. Jesus actively seeks our attention. Has He gotten yours? What's your response to Him?
3. How do you hear the voice of Jesus in your life?

From The Lutheran Layman, August 1979 issue, "The Room of Our Mind and Thoughts," by Matt Welser. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do you think of your life as something that Jesus enters and fills?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 02 de Agosto de 2019 - Salvaguardar nuestras mentes

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Salvaguardar nuestras mentes

02 de Agosto de 2019

¡Mira! Ya estoy a la puerta, y llamo. Si alguno oye mi voz y abre la puerta, yo entraré en su casa, y cenaré con él, y él cenará conmigo.

~ Apocalipsis 3:20 (RVC)

Jesucristo está llamando a la puerta de tu vida. Él quiere entrar en tu mente y pensamiento. ¿Qué encontrará cuando lo haga? ¿Desorden, caos, algo peor o algo mejor?

Para agradar a Jesús, debemos admitir que a muchos nos vendría bien una limpieza profunda de nuestra mente. Debemos eliminar la basura que allí hay y trabajar duro para que no entre más. Reconocer el pecado y aceptar que no hemos cumplido con la santa Ley de Dios es el primer paso para ser limpios. A través de la fe en la muerte expiatoria y la resurrección de Cristo, nos vestimos con su justicia.

Pero eso no significa que nuestra lucha con el pecado haya terminado. Necesitamos llenar nuestra mente y pensamiento con Dios y sus caminos, poniendo nuestra mirada en "las cosas del cielo, y no en las de la tierra" (Colosenses 3:2b). Si no lo hacemos, pronto nuestra mente será absorbida una vez más por los deseos y las pasiones del mundo, como dice Jesús en Lucas 11:23-26.

Pablo nos exhorta: "Por lo demás, hermanos, piensen en todo lo que es verdadero, en todo lo honesto, en todo lo justo, en todo lo puro, en todo lo amable, en todo lo que es digno de alabanza; si hay en ello alguna virtud, si hay algo que admirar, piensen en ello" (Filipenses 4:8). En otras palabras, llenemos nuestra mente con la Palabra de Dios memorizando las Escrituras y aprendiendo canciones e himnos y salmos que dan gloria a Dios. Dediquemos un momento del día para acercarnos al Señor en oración y estemos atentos a toda posible tentación. Es en nuestra mente donde las tentaciones se rechazan o se convierten en pensamientos y acciones pecaminosas.

Recuerda que Cristo vive en ti y él es mucho más poderoso que cualquier tentación de Satanás. Él quiere que salgas victorioso. Una vez un pastor dijo que había aprendido a usar los momentos de tentación como incentivos a orar por los amigos misioneros en el extranjero. Intenta algo similar cuando seas tentado. Deja que tu reacción sea oración, canto o adoración. Canta y alaba a Dios, y tu mente estará llena de Dios y no de pensamientos y deseos pecaminosos.

ORACIÓN: Señor Jesús, te alabamos por vivir en nosotros. Por tu Espíritu Santo entra en nuestros pensamientos, permanece en casa en nuestras mentes y toma el control. Líbranos de toda tentación y haz que nuestros pensamientos sean siempre para dar gloria a tu nombre. Amén.

De The Lutheran Layman, por Matt Welser

Para reflexionar:

• ¿De qué maneras oyes la voz de Jesús en tu vida?
• ¿Cuánto lugar ocupa Dios en tu vida?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿De qué maneras oyes la voz de Jesús en tu vida?

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Từ Vô Giá Trị Đến Báu Vật

Từ Vô Giá Trị Đến Báu Vật

Đọc: II Cô-rinh-tô 4:5-7 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Thi Thiên 60-62; Rô-ma 5

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Nhưng chúng tôi đựng báu vật nầy trong những bình đất, để bày tỏ rằng quyền năng tối thượng nầy đến từ Đức Chúa Trời, chứ không phải từ chúng tôi. II Cô-rinh-tô 4:7

Ngôi nhà của người nhặt rác nằm ở đỉnh con dốc trong khu dân cư Bogota nghèo nàn. Có vẻ như chẳng có gì đặc biệt. Tuy nhiên, khu tồi tàn này ở thủ đô Colombia lại là nơi có thư viện miễn phí với 25.000 cuốn sách – đây là những sách bị vứt bỏ mà Jose Alberto Gutierrez thu thập để chia sẻ với trẻ em nghèo trong cộng đồng của mình.

Những đứa trẻ trong khu vực tập trung đến căn nhà đó rất đông đúc mỗi khi đến “giờ đọc sách” cuối tuần. Đi qua từng căn phòng đầy sách, bọn trẻ nhận ra rằng ngôi nhà tồi tàn này không đơn thuần chỉ là nhà của ông Jose, mà là một báu vật vô giá.

Điều đó cũng đúng đối với những người tin theo Đấng Christ. Chúng ta chỉ là đất sét bình thường – chúng ta có những vết nứt và dễ vỡ. Nhưng Đức Chúa Trời cho chúng ta được trở thành nơi ngự của Đức Thánh Linh, là Đấng ban năng lực để chúng ta mang tin lành của Đấng Christ đến với thế giới tổn thương và đau khổ. Đó là công việc vĩ đại đối với những con người bình thường và yếu đuối.

Sứ đồ Phao-lô nói với các tín hữu tại thành Cô-rinh-tô rằng: “Nhưng chúng tôi đựng báu vật nầy trong những bình đất, để bày tỏ rằng quyền năng tối thượng nầy đến từ Đức Chúa Trời, chứ không phải từ chúng tôi” (II Cô. 4: 7). Họ là bộ phận tiêu biểu cho người dân khắp vùng này, vì vậy có lẽ nhiều người đã bị cám dỗ để “rao giảng về chính mình”, như điều Phao-lô nói (c.5).

Nhưng Phao-lô nói rằng hãy nói với mọi người về Đấng vô giá đang sống trong mỗi chúng ta. Chỉ Ngài và quyền năng vượt trội của Ngài mới có thể biến cuộc đời bình thường của chúng ta thành báu vật vô giá.

Bạn có một báu vật trong lòng, là Đức Thánh Linh, điều đó có ý nghĩa gì với bạn? Bạn được yên ủi ra sao khi biết rằng Ngài ban năng lực để bạn chia sẻ tin lành?

Lạy Chúa Jêsus, xin đổ đầy cuộc đời bình thường của con bằng năng quyền Thánh Linh Ngài.

bởi Patricia Raybon

© 2019 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Ngôi nhà của người nhặt rác nằm ở đỉnh con dốc trong khu dân cư Bogota nghèo nàn. Có vẻ như chẳng có gì đặc biệt. Tuy nhiên,